The Set-Up
by spyder-m
Summary: The Phantom Thieves face one of their most challenging operations to date, getting a confession out of their leader and advisor. Written for Day One of Shumako Week 2020: Study Partners / Confessions.


The Set-Up

It was no secret that the Charge Commander of the Phantom Thieves, Sakamoto Ryuji, was not one for subtlety. Despite his best efforts, there were times where he became overzealous, words slipping out without a thought.

Their latest operation was one of he was having trouble keeping under wraps.

With a near-impossible task and seemingly insurmountable odds stacked against them, the pressure was becoming too much to contain. The urge to speak out, to try and find advice was tearing away at him.

The Phantom Thieves had managed fine without Joker's guidance before; pulling off operations during his interrogation and time in prison. But a mission without both their leader and advisor, in many ways, his second-in-command, wouldn't be easy.

Yet, Ryuji knew they couldn't let themselves become distracted by what they were missing. They needed to stay positive.

They still had Futaba's hacking skills, and that furball, as much as he hated to admit, was their most experienced member. Most of what they knew had been because of his teachings.

And while he, Ann and Morgana could get on each other's nerves at times; when united by a common goal, they were a powerful force as original members. They would need to harness that force as much as possible, considering this could be their hardest mission yet.

Not only were they short team members, but they had two targets they needed to get a confession out of this time.

Ryuji leant back with an exhale, warm water lapping at the knots in his shoulder; allowing him a momentary respite from the concern clouding his mind.

He and Ren were visiting the baths across from Leblanc again; a momentary respite Ryuji was thankful for; particularly now that there weren't any old dudes constantly cranking up the heat.

Though, the trip couldn't alleviate his worries entirely. Even it was part of their plan. He needed to stay focused.

The setting was perfect, an excuse for him to bring up the conversation they'd had last time without raising suspicion.

Back then, Ryuji hadn't expected Yusuke to show much interest in girls, beyond aesthetics. Though, he had been surprised that Ren played coy when asked about Ann; talking up her strengths as a teammate and a friend.

Tsk, what a cop-out.

Ryuji had the feeling Ren was well-versed with women. At least, based on how well he'd handled the maid incident compared to Mishima. Not to mention, for the short time he'd lived in Tokyo, he'd certainly made connections with a lot of them.

Ryuji found it hard to believe he didn't have a preference.

Still, thinking on it, his words rung true.

Over the past few years, many things had changed. Their team had grown, and there were more female members. There was someone Ren carried herself around quite differently from anyone else on their team.

It had to mean something.

Though he was quiet, at times hard to read, Ryuji suspected the response to his question would be a bit different this time around and decided now was as good a time as any to probe.

"So, Renren. When are you gonna like... ask Makoto out?"

Though, as established, Ryuji was never one for subtlety.

It was fortunate that Ren had the foresight to remove his glasses before they entered the bathhouse. For; despite priding herself on keeping calm and level-headed throughout even their most dire Metaverse battles; he was completely rocked by Ryuji's question, his body slipping beneath the surface of the water with a shocked cry.

Ryuji chuckled, pleased to have caught his usually cool, stoic friend off guard. The reaction was telling, there was definitely something to his suspicion.

Ren emerged, moments later, a maelstrom of coughs and damp, shaggy hair. Though the springs were warm, Ryuji wasn't sure they were the reason for the flush building across his face.

His laughter died, though, under the glare Ren leveled in his direction.

"W- what? Where did you get that idea?"

"Come on, man. I'm not that stupid. You'd have to have been hit by Marin Karin to not see that you two are totally into each other."

"Oh, really?" Ren challenged.

"Uh, yeah. Remember back when we broke into Boss' house in the middle of a storm and the lights went out? Makoto was practically hanging off of you."

"S- she was just scared. Futaba does the same thing whenever we're somewhere crowded."

Ryuji took satisfaction in the flinch that crossed Ren's face. He had a weak point and capitalise on the advantage.

"Well, speaking of Futaba. When we were fighting that cognition of her mom, you knocked Makoto out of the way when that pillar was going to hit her."

"I didn't want her to get hurt! I would've done that for any of you guys."

"Really?" Ryuji grinned, smugly, his arms folding. "Cause you sure held onto her for longer than necessary though. I'm pretty sure she was fine."

"That's-"

"Not to mention, I heard from Ann that you've been going on double-dates with Makoto and her friend."

"That's just a cover. I'm helping her lookout for Eiko."

Ren's protest trailed off, perhaps the most half-hearted of them all. Ryuji's expression softened, his words carrying a more sincere lilt.

"But you wouldn't mind if you were actually dating?"

Ren sighed, his eye's carrying to the ceiling as he leant back.

"All I'm saying is, I've only ever seen her act like that around you. A lot of other guys seem kind of scared by her."

"She's our teammate, Ryuji." Ren insisted. "A great strategist and friend. There's nothing more to it than that."

Ryuji shrugged.

"If you say so, man."

The apparent doubt in Ryuji's voice was not missed by Ren, as if noticing his lack of conviction. The words troubled him, picking at an uncertainty inside of him.

.

Ann's eyes lifted over the cup of coffee she held to her lips, carefully watching Makoto through the wisps of steam rising from the liquid.

She had asked her older friends to come out with her to the shopping district, part of the plan she had formed with Ryuji and the rest of the Thieves: to get Ren and Makoto alone and ask them about their feelings for one another.

With everything in its right place, the boys should have been at the bathhouse just across the alleyway right now. Futaba would be monitoring the situation from her room, convenient, as it meant she wouldn't have to also face the crowds of ().

This was an operation Ann had to approach this like any other battle; consider the enemy's strengths and weaknesses and exploit them to her advantage.

She knew she wouldn't be able to beat Makoto when it came to strategy and wasn't dumb enough to even try and overpower her physically - although, having Haru with her may have helped.

If she probed, Makoto might feel like she was being interrogated and get suspicious. Asking directly, flustering her and catching her off guard when she was relaxed, would work best in Ann's favour. It would be the fastest way to expose her true feelings.

They were on familiar turf, enjoying coffee in the booths of Leblanc. A place Makoto had grown more than comfortable. It would be the last place she would expect an ambush.

Much like in Hawaii with the guys, she would ask, point black, framing the question as casual conversation.

As Makoto didn't chat with her peers often, it's possible she wouldn't pick up on the obvious motive behind her question.

Though, normally, it would be either Makoto or Futaba who would remind her of enemy strengths and weaknesses, which posed an issue. Futaba wasn't with them and she couldn't clue Makoto in on what they had planned.

"So, Makoto. What kind of guy do you like?"

Makoto's voice squeaked, her own cup almost slipping from her grip.

"W- where is this coming from, all of a sudden?"

"Relax Makoto, it's just girl talk," Ann reassured warmly. "I didn't get to ask you on the school trip like I did with Ren and Ryuji, and what can I say? I'm curious."

"W- what do you expect? You should know I'm not familiar with such things."

"Maybe so, but a lots changed in the past year. You've done things you now that I bet you never would have dreamed of before."

Makoto caught her bottom lip between her. She certainly couldn't argue that point.

"Maybe you just haven't figured out what your type is yet? That's okay! We can help you out!"

With a smirk, Ann's finger stroked her chin; a gesture usually akin to Makoto; scrutinising her friend closely. Makoto's eyes lowered, suddenly unnerved by her friend's proximity, her fingers tracing the pattern of her skirt. She decided not to acknowledge her, not wanting to risk incriminating herself. Instead, she left Ann to speculate out loud.

"What about the guys in our group, huh?" Ann began. "You and Ryuji might be at odds, but he seems into you. He's always talking about how awesome your Persona is."

Despite her best efforts to ignore Ann, Makoto coughed, a mouthful of coffee catching in her windpipe. Haru shuffled beside her, patting her on the back and sliding over a glass of water.

Of all the names Ann could have come out with, Makoto had definitely not expected Ryuji to rank highly.

Certainly, Makoto had grown of Ryuji. The perception she once held of him as a problem delinquent had been quickly shattered in the time they'd spent together. Though at times, he still behaved in a frustrating fashion, she had come to find that he was passionate, well-meaning and incredibly loyal.

Still, she wasn't sure where Ann had gotten that idea at all. If anything, Ryuji seemed much closer to her.

"Hmm." Ann continued, her tangent seemingly uninterrupted by Makoto's coughs. "Well, I suppose I could also see it being someone like Akechi. He's popular, but smart like you, and a detective."

Makoto shuddered, finding the notion of Akechi viewing her in a romantic light unsettling.

If anything, she saw him as a rival. His presence waking pangs of jealously, for all the time he spent with sis and the respect she appeared to hold for him. Still, she didn't answer, opting instead to savour her coffee; careful to take smaller sips.

"Not interested, huh? Well, I suppose it shouldn't be surprising that your tastes wouldn't match most girls our age..."

As Ann broke off, seemingly lost in thought once again, Makoto hoped for this conversation to not continue.

"Though I have to say, Ren gave quite an interesting answer when I asked him about this."

"I- is that so?" Makoto answered, reflexively; realisation seeping through her with a grimace.

That this was the first time Makoto actually spoke up wasn't missed by Ann. Though, she couldn't afford to let it show.

She would have to revel silently in that small victory.

"Mm." Ann said, feigning nonchalance. Though inside, she was growing giddy with excitement. "He said he valued intelligence most in a girl. Now, I wonder who that could be referring to?"

"We hadn't met you yet, Haru, so he couldn't have been talking about you, and... Well, Ren's seen my test results, so I doubt he meant me. That would leave either Futaba, or..."

"Why are you restricting this to our group?" Makoto protested, perhaps too fiercely. "Ren knows plenty of intelligent women. There's that Doctor who supplies us with medicine, or the Shogi player, Hifumi-san."

"Yeah, you're right, Makoto. What about Sae-san? She fits that description perfectly."

Ann could sense the urge to grin pulling at her lips; proud of how she'd managed to turn the conversation back against Makoto.

Bringing up her older sister; who she often compared herself to; was perhaps an under-handed move. But they were thieves after all, and Ann was determined to uncover the truth.

If Makoto felt anything for Ren, the idea of him liking Sae-san would certainly spark a response from Makoto.

Makoto swallowed. She was glad the conversation was no longer centered around her, but... The idea of Ren being attracted to Sis didn't sit well with her, those feelings of inadequacy churning inside her chest.

Perhaps, worse still, was that the scenario didn't seem that farfetched to Makoto. She could actually imagine Ren being able to live up to her sister's lofty expectations.

While sis was meticulous, there was an inexplicable charm to Ren, one that many; herself included; were drawn to. Being related to Sae, Makoto suspected it would work similarly on her. After all, he had managed to break through her cold exterior before.

There shouldn't have been any reason for it bother her. They had no business speculating about their private lives.

"If you don't mind, could we perhaps change the subject? I- I'm not sure Ren would appreciate us having this discussion."

Ann relented, already having got what she needed from their conversation.

A tactical retreat, for the time being.

.

After assessing the targets, the Thieves reported their findings back to one another at the Accessway in Shibuya.

Of all their hideouts, it seemed the safest place.

Had they met up at Leblanc, or the Shujin rooftop, there was always the chance that Ren or Makoto would stumble upon them.

Instead, they kept their plans for the weekend open, knowing that Ren would be busy working at Leblanc and Makoto, as always, would be preparing for University entrance exams.

Their normal hangouts were nearby anyway. Ann usually spending time in the Underground Mall, Ryuji the Arcade on Central Street, Haru tending to her crops at Shujin, and Yusuke people-watching in the middle of the station.

It would be easy for them to meet up at a moment's notice.

Morgana would have the hardest time sneaking off, as he usually stuck with Ren. The Thieves agreed it would be best for him to leave with Futaba, the two claiming they were going to Akihabara, so has as not to raise any suspicion.

After a few rounds of Gun About, Ryuji shuffled over, his hands buried in his pockets. He greeted Ann with a lazy dip of his head.

"Any luck?"

Ann shook her head with a sigh.

"Makoto tried her best to deny it, but it was pretty much written on her face. "

"Yeah, same with Ren."

"Hm. It would seem it won't be easy to get a confession out of either of them."

"That sure suits them both. Stubborn 'til the end."

"Urgh. Why is this so hard? We've made criminals confess; it shouldn't be so difficult to get our own friends to admit their feelings."

"Yeah. Kinda sucks all that stuff with Eiko blew over. All that fake dating shit really seemed it was getting them somewhere."

"Wait, that's it!"

"Wha-"

"Why don't we convince them to go on another pretend date? We could get Eiko to go along with it. We send those two somewhere romantic together, have Eiko split at the last minute and things are sure to play out between them!"

"I guess? But like, how are we gonna ask? Do you even know her?"

"I don't. But she's a third-year like you, right Haru?"

"That's right. I've seen Eiko-san around before, but we've never really spoken before."

"You're both friends with Makoto, though. That's a start! If you let Eiko know we need her to help out Makoto, I'm sure she'll be willing to listen."

"Well, I suppose. How do we approach her about it, though? I don't have her number."

"Leave that to me! Just gotta crack in Makoto's cloud and we should have no problem finding the right number."

"Please don't tell me you've done that to any of us before."

"Aw, come on, guys. You can trust me. This is just a one-time thing, I promise! For the mission, and their own good. The ends will justify the means."

"Well, if you say so."

.

Ren's fingers rapped against Leblanc's counter-top, his long, drawn-out sigh accompanying the sporadic beat.

The shop was unusually quiet.

Sundays had always been slow for business, Sojiro had told him so. People wanted to make the most out of their day off and tended to rely more on caffeine to fuel them during busy work weeks.

Still, that trend had seemingly shifted ever since Ren had moved upstairs, making friends of his own in Tokyo. They would hang around, keeping him company during long, uneventful shifts; often without need for an invitation.

It was a shame they had all had other plans today and left him feeling a little sad.

For as much time they had spent and grown together, Ren almost couldn't remember what it was like; or how he had managed to get by; without them. It felt empty, alien.

Perhaps it was born of a connection between their Persona; the other self that had laid dormant inside them all.

At the lively sounds stirring through Yongen-jaya, Ren was overcome by envy.

Children laughing, dogs barking, patrons chattering with enthusiasm as they stepped out of the recently reopened movie theatre.

He wished he could be outside with them.

With no customers around, and all the dishes cleaned and stacked beside the sink, there weren't even any of the store's usual, mundane tasks that Ren could focus on to past the time.

Ren's hand lowered, digging through his pocket for his phone. Craving the distraction and hoping maybe, someone, might be finished with their commitments for the day. Willing to see him.

Before he could punch in his passcode, the bell above the door chimed.

Not wanting to incur another lecture from Sojiro about slacking off while on the clock; this from the guy who was usually reading the paper behind the counter; Ren's phone found a makeshift hiding place under the sleeve of his shirt.

However, a swell of happiness flooded through Ren, as he instead saw Makoto stepping through the door, her lips pulling into a smile.

His initial surprise dissipating, Ren exhaled, the familiar face flashing before him a beacon of relief.

He hadn't bothered messaging Makoto earlier, knowing that she was busy studying and not wanting to interrupt here. Her presence was unexpected.

Still, he wasn't complaining. Her company could keep him from going insane until Boss got back.

"Hey Makoto. How's studying going? Here for the usual?" Ren asked, hoping she would take the invitation.

"Please." She answered, setting down in the stool nearest him. "Although, I'm afraid I didn't come here just for coffee."

"Is that so?" Ren asked, sifting through the large display of beans behind him. "Well, what's up?"

"I need to ask a favour of you. One big enough to bring me here in person."

"Fire away."

"Eiko's asked us on a double date again."

Ren froze in the middle of adjusting the siphon, wondering for a moment if he had heard correctly.

"Oh." The word slipped out reflexively. "I thought she ended things with Tsukasa?"

"She did." Makoto nodded. "She has a new boyfriend now, apparently."

Ren hummed in reply, as he worked on her coffee, expecting her to continue. Though, from the way Makoto's hands kneaded together and her gaze zeroed in on the countertop; it mustn't have been easy to piece together whatever was on her mind.

Ren glanced up, taken by a momentary flash of concern. Such apprehension was unlike her; it had been for months.

"The problem is... Well- You see, after everything. I never told her that you and I dating was... just an act. It never occurred to me that this would come up again."

"So, she still thinks that we're...?"

"Exactly."

The sound of water churning at least distracted from the palpable silence that rung out between them.

As if not wanting to be swallowed up, by the heavy, oppressive atmosphere, Makoto urged herself to carry on, words now trailing from her lips in a flurry.

"While I could just turn her down, I am worried." She admitted. "I hope this won't be a repeat of what happened with Tsukasa. While I'm sure that the whole experience helped her become a better judge of character, I want to make sure her new boyfriend doesn't have any ulterior motives.

"I'm sure that we'll only need this one date to find out. After that, I can explain everything to her and clear up any confusion about us... Or lie and say that we've broken up, whichever comes easier."

"You've really thought this through." Ren laughed as he added the finishing touches to Makoto's coffee and set it down. She accepted the cup, smiling.

"She asked me earlier today. It was bothering me so much that I couldn't focus on studying anymore. I had to come and ask you."

"Alright. Well, let me know the time and place, and I'll be here."

"You're a lifesaver, Ren. I promise this will be the last time."

It was strange, becoming abruptly conscious of something that had long been missing.

It had never really struck Ren until now, that he and Makoto had stopped 'dating' weeks ago.

Now, starting again seemed... bittersweet, as he knew, going in, that it wouldn't last. That he would, in a way, be saying goodbye to times he had fond memories. Times that had brought he and Makoto closer.

Though, it was foolish, pointless, to despair. This being their last 'date' didn't mean that wouldn't spend time together anymore, Ren knew this.

Yet, somehow, the prospect of it ending left him feeling hollow, sad.

.

When the two arrived at Odaiba Seaside Park in their agreed meeting place, Makoto couldn't find Eiko anywhere.

She wondered initially, if in her nervous haste, she had had them leave too early, arriving well before the other couple.

That must be it, she reassured herself. There was no need to worry. Dates and hangouts between friends were casual affairs, with schedules that weren't enforced that strictly. They would show up at any moment.

Though, as the minutes melted away, and the sun began fading into dusk, she grew anxious. Why hadn't Eiko turned up yet? Had something happened?

Unsurprisingly, Makoto wasn't alone in sensing something was off.

"We didn't mix up any of the details, did we?" Ren asked, glancing over Makoto's shoulder as she double-checked the message on her phone.

"No." Makoto frowned. "Eiko said to meet right here at around 6 o'clock. Surely, they couldn't have forgotten?"

Makoto sighed. Despite how carefully she had planned, the evening was already falling apart. All because of circumstances beyond her control.

Not to mention, Ren was doing her a favour. She would feel like she was exploiting his good-will if she dragged him out for a date that didn't even end up happening.

Makoto's concern was alleviated momentarily by the chime of her phone.

"Oh, Eiko just messaged me. Perhaps they're running late?"

Her fingers tapped against the screen, nose wrinkling at the string of words that flashed before her eyes.

_Good luck! You can thank me l8r! _Ｏ(≧∇≦)Ｏ

"That's strange." She said, turning the screen towards Ren. "Perhaps she meant to send this to someone else?"

Ren's eyes narrowed as they glossed over the cryptic text before looking to her with a shrug.

Hoping for a more concise answer, Makoto frantically strung together a reply.

_Eiko? What are you talking about? Where are you?_

Though, as she pressed send, clutching her phone in eager anticipation, her patience and optimism began to wear thin.

Makoto doubted the message had not been seen. Eiko was rarely without her phone and normally quite punctual when responding. If anything, her concern had shifted into suspicion.

Eiko laid out an incredibly vague hint, before lapsing into apparent radio silence.

_Good luck? What could that possibly mean? What is she up to?_

"Should we head back?" Ren asked, his voice pulling Makoto from her reverie.

Her lips pursed.

The offer was tempting. Though, after coming all the way; even having paid the train fare; it would seem like a waste to leave.

They didn't get out of the city often. They could at least enjoy themselves for tonight.

Tourists and other couples wandered by, basking in the picturesque view of the setting sun as it draped over the water.

For every glance she exchanged with passing strangers, Makoto grew more self-conscious, wondering if perhaps they thought she and Ren were together.

If Ren noticed, he didn't say. Instead, seeming similarly taken by the scenery as she caught him from the corner of her eye. Though it couldn't stop the pang guilt building her chest. Being alone with him, in a clearly romantic setting, and the longing it stirred inside of her.

"I'm sorry, Ren." Her apology broke abruptly. "I can tell Eiko. That way, we can be done with... With all of this."

"Hey, if I didn't know any better Makoto, I'd think you didn't enjoy my company." Ren smirked, sensing the shift in her mood.

"T-that's not the case! I just didn't want to trouble you anymore."

"Makoto, come on. It's no trouble. I was happy to help you look out for Eiko, getting to spend time with you is a bonus."

"You're a great friend, Makoto." He tacked on, lamely.

Ren panicked, internally, as the words brought a flicker of disappointment across her face.

"A friend to Eiko, I mean." He reiterated, stumbling over his words. "That's not to say we aren't friends. It's just you mean, so much to me- All of you guys do. 'Friend' doesn't really describe it, you're like… confidants."

Makoto couldn't contain the peal of laughter that broke from her lips.

"It's alright Ren, I understand."

Ren was quiet, at times, but concise and deliberate when he did speak. For him to stammer was unusual.

For everything he had endured and accomplished as their leader, it was a reminder that he wasn't infallible. Even though Ren seemed more socially attuned than her, he was still an ordinary teenager who could become awkward and flustered. It was something Makoto found reassuring.

Her eyes fell on Rainbow Bridge, stretching back into Tokyo. Reminded of longing daydreams that plagued her, of having someone to walk across it with. She exhaled, wistfully, knowing her luck in that department.

"I guess Eiko was right when she said I would flunk a test on love." Makoto said. "The only way I could make her think otherwise was by lying. I can't learn about romance by myself."

"What about me?"

"I appreciate the offer, Ren," Makoto sighed, "but I think we should stop pretend dating-"

No sooner had she formed the words than they were stifled by the pressure of Ren's own lips gently capturing hers. Makoto's eyes widened, the space dissipating between them, as she was pulled into his arms.

Only when the kiss had lingered long enough for her to find her own rhythm, to confirm that it was real, did he pull away, the sincerity and intenseness of his gaze pinning her down.

"You're right. We should."

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the abrupt ending. Would've liked to add a follow-up/reaction from the rest of the Thieves, but probably wouldn't have been able to get this out in time if I did. Maybe later.

Anyway, I'm hoping to get something out for each day of Shumako week. Track my progress on Twitter spyder_tm


End file.
